Adviser Categories

EMERGING MARKETS MANAGER OF THE YEAR

This award is for firms that have worked closely with the LGPS to develop and deliver emerging market strategies. It includes frontier markets and covers all asset classes including equity, debt, real estate and infrastructure.

Please remember the following when submitting your entry:

> Investment performance versus targeted return
> Client service including reporting
> Risk management
> Sustainability

EQUITY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner of this award will be an organisation that has demonstrated excellence in performance, stewardship, and reporting for active and passive LGPS investors.

Please address the following as part of your entry:

> Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)
> Client service including reporting
> Risk management
> Sustainability

FIXED INCOME AND/OR CREDIT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The award winner will be a firm that has worked with its LGPS clients to fulfil their fixed income or credit strategy expectations. This category Includes but is not limited to managers of debt, Gilts, index linked, multi sector credit.

Please remember to address the following as part of your entry:

> Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)
> Client service including reporting
> Risk management
> Sustainability

IMPACT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner will be a manager that has demonstrated excellence in delivering both a financial and impact return from investment strategies, and in measuring and reporting on both those goals.

Remember to address the following in your entry:

> How your range of impact strategies address social, economic, or environmental issues
> How your organisation has identified strategies which have helped LGPS clients deliver on financial and impact goals
> Client service including reporting
> Risk management

INFRASTRUCTURE AWARD

The winner in this category will have worked closely with LGPS clients to provide clients with secure long-term inflation-correlated income flow from infrastructure (or similar) assets.

You should ensure that the following is addressed as part of your entry:

> Sustainability
> Risk management
> Innovation
> Client service including reporting
> How the strategy has helped clients achieve their goal
> How your organisation has worked with LGPS clients in formulating long-term strategies

INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICE OF THE YEAR

This award is given to an individual or entity that has provided forward-looking support and service to the LGPS. Entrants can come from a wide range of disciplines including investment consultancy, responsible investing consultancy, strategic advisers, economists, investment governance. The award is designed to highlight how a firm has supported the LGPS through particularly challenging times.

When submitting your entry, remember to address the following:

> How you or your firm has worked with LGPS clients to identify and establish the scope of a service requirement
> Implementation of solutions
> Assessment of outcomes
> Support provided for the LGPS in areas such as new regulation, pooling, administration, as well as unpredicted global events such as Covid

LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

This award is given to a Law firm that has provided support and service to the LGPS. The award is designed to highlight how a firm has supported the LGPS.

Please remember the following when submitting your entry:

> Client service
> Training
> Education

LGPS FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Entrants in this category must demonstrate how they have worked with the LGPS both generally and specifically with their clients to deliver excellent service and performance. All aspects of the investment process should be addressed including service provision, performance, support, transparency, disclosures, engagement.

Please ensure that the following key criteria are addressed by the entry:

> Performance (net of fees) relative to target return and risk taken
> Client service including reporting
> Sustainability
> Engagement
> How the manager has helped client achieve their goals

LGPS SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

This award will be given to a firm that has provided a service which helps schemes manage their assets. It is open to all service providers other than those providing investment advice (who should enter the Investment Advisory Service of the Year category). This might include any or all of actuarial services, ESG auditors, proxy voting services, performance measurement, transition managers and custodians, actuarial services. Service providers providing investment advice should enter the Investment Advisory Service of the Year category.

In your entry, please explain how your services benefitted the LGPS and address the following where applicable:

> Client support provided
> Innovations implemented including the process of change
> Provision of reporting tools
> How clients achieved a better outcome as a result

PRIVATE MARKETS MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner of this award may invest in any area of the private markets including private equity and debt and other unlisted assets, other than infrastructure and property (covered under separate awards).

Please remember to address the following as part of your entry:

> Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)
> Client service including reporting
> Risk management
> Sustainability
> Any innovations in fee structures and transparency of fees

PROPERTY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

The winner in this category will be a property manager that has responded well to the challenges of managing a property portfolio for LGPS clients over the last 12 months. The winner will also demonstrate an understanding of how the LGPS should both adapt to the current economic climate and prepare for expected changes in the sector.

You should ensure that the following is addressed as part of the entry:

> How your organisation has worked with LGPS clients in formulating long-term strategies
> Describe how you have developed your strategy to reflect changing needs for real assets
> Investment performance (judges will consider one, three and five year risk-adjusted returns)
> Client service including reporting
> Risk management
> Sustainability

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

This award recognises an organisation that has worked to drive positive change by embedding principles of diversity and inclusion in the culture of the organisation.

Entries should address the following:

> Provide specific examples of how an environment that supports inclusion has been created
> Provide examples of literature and/or communications with scheme members that have expressly supported diversity and inclusion
> Demonstrate how you have created equity
> Show how consideration of diversity and inclusion has resulted in positive change
> Demonstrate an approach that has shown consideration for the wellbeing and mental health of employees, both direct and indirect